For the 10th consecutive year, Capital Link organized recently at the Metropolitan Club in New York, the Capital Link New York Forum with the main topic: “Greece: The New Reform Agenda: Investment & Business opportunities in Greece Today”. Despite the current unfavorable international economic environment and the fact that the world economy is entering a major downturn, the New York Forum experienced a great success and was attended by more than 400 top executives with special interest in the Economic Policy of Greece and the broader area. A series of one-to-one meetings with investors took place and in particular presentations of international companies with important investments and success stories in Greece were conducted.

The forum was organized under the auspices of Greek Ministry of Economy & Finance and the collaboration of the New York Stock Exchange, the Athens Stock Exchange, the Association of Greek Institutional Investors, the Secretariat General of Information, the European Institute and the following large international investment houses: Sal Oppenheim, NBG International, JPMorgan, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley as well as other important Institutions and Mass & International Financial Media. Additionally, the contribution of the Greek-American business community was of high value, given that major organizations supported the Forum: the American Hellenic Institute, the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce of New York and the Hellenic American Bankers Association. The Annual Capital Link Forum is the only one in its kind that takes place outside of Greece.

This year’s topic focused on the important reforms taking place today in the economy and the new initiatives in view of the international financial crisis as well as on the business and investment opportunities in Greece and Southeastern Europe in general.

The President of Capital Link, Mr. Nicolas Bornozis noted that “despite the turmoil and the uncertainty in global markets, within the framework of the current globalized economy, investors are constantly seeking proper investment opportunities across the globe… Greece constitutes the safest and most effective gateway towards the rapidly evolving region of Southeast Europe, significantly contributing to the development of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.”

Spyros Capralos, Chairman of the Athens Stock Exchange, was as the keynote speaker during the Lunch. The Greek Delegation this year consisted of Panagiotis Drossos, Secretary General of Investments, & Development, Ministry of Economy & Finance, Konstantinos Kollias, Special Secretary for Privatizations, Ministry of Economy & Finance, Leonidas Korres, Special Secretary for Public Private Partnership, Ministry of Economy & Finance, Prof. Haris Lambropoulos, Chairman, DEPANOM - Public Health Infrastructure Development Co., Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity, and Alexandra Palli, Secretary General, Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry & BoD Member of the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO).

The following top management executives of the NYSE listed companies made presentations at the event:

• The Chief Operating Officer of Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, Mr. Iordanis Aivazis,
• The CEO of Danaos Corporation (NYSE: DAC), Dr. John Coustas,
• The President of Navios Maritime Holdings (NYSE: N0M), Mr. Ted Petrone,
• The Senior Manager - Corporate Development of Tsakos Energy Navigation (NYSE: TNP), Mr. Harry Kosmatos.

The Ambassador of Greece to the United States, Mr. Alexander Mallias, opened the Forum proceedings which consisted of a series of panels on various topics and fields.